SHANGLA: A large number of students of Government Higher Secondary School Butyal, Bisham, blocked the Karakoram Highway outside the local police station the other night, demanding immediate arrest of those who had attacked schoolchildren during a cricket match.

The protesting students chanted slogans against the police for not registering FIR against the alleged accused.

Addressing the protesters, school Principal Shahid Ahmad claimed that his pupils were assaulted by a group of influential locals. The local police told Dawn that the conflict began at a cricket ground where players from the school had a fight with the students of a private school during a cricket match.

This prompted elders and local residents, whose boys were among the players from the private school, to step in and mediate the altercation.

The District Police Officer Imran Khan confirmed the incident and said that an FIR had been registered against the alleged accused and arrests were made.

Moreover, the district sports executive committee held a meeting about the incident and wrote a recommendation letter to the authorities concerned for stern action against those individuals involved in attacking the schoolchildren.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2024